This is a question that Orthodox Priests are often asked by
members of their parish. For Orthodox Christians the Feast day of
the Saint of whom they have been named after is as important as their
birthday, if not more so. In Orthodox countries, someone's birthday is
usually known only by family and close friends, but someone's Nameday is
usually known by a broader band of acquaintances. This is especially so
with the more well known Saints. Who, in Orthodox countries, doesn't know
when St. Andrew's day is celebrated, or St. George's, or St. Peter's, or
St. John's? The question 'when is my Nameday?' usually arises when someone bears the name of a lesser known
Saint.

In
Greek there exists a small book called'Do you want to know when
you celebrate?'The Author has created, from the Synaxaria
[Books of the lives of Saints] and other sources, an extensive Directory
of Saints and their festival days. But no directory can ever be complete as so
many Saints have remained anonymous and many others whose names have been
lost to us, are known only to the All-knowing God. Again there are many Saints
that are known only by a local Church e.g. St. Bechianus [11th
December], is only known by the Cypriot Church. As Orthodoxy has now
established firm roots in western countries, western Saints who reposed
before the Great Schism of 1054 A.D. are also beginning to be recognized as
Saints of the Orthodox Church. This is in recognition that before the
Great Schism of East and West, there was only One Holy Catholic and
Apostolic Church, thus those Saints were Orthodox. A directory with the names of
these Saints can be found on the Felixstowe Orthodox Church Web Site. I
have included these saints in this directory excluding a couple which had
the date of their repose after 1054 A.D. For the many Saints who have been
recognized by both East and West, but with different Feast days, I have
opted for the Greek Orthodox date.

With
the directory of the Western Saints there arises the question of when a
Saint was officially recognised among the ranks of Saints and by whom. Was
he/she recognized before the Great Schism? If so, then he/she is truly
Orthodox regardless of the fact that he/she was officially recognized by
Rome, but unknown to Constantinople. If it was after, then the
Orthodox Church needs to examine these Saints more closely and then decide
if they should be accepted among the ranks of the Orthodox Saints. For now
I have included them in this directory and if there are any 'questionable'
Saints among them, that is a task for Holy Synods to examine and exclude.

Does every Christian have a Nameday?

Christian Society has
countless Saints with many sharing the same name. The Saints were people
just like us, but they chose to live their lives according to the
commandments and will of God even to the point of accepting martyrdom for
His name sake. We Christians who bear their names are called to imitate
their life and in so doing our names will also be added to the Ranks of
the Saints. God Himself commands us to be like Him 'Be ye holy; for I am
holy. [1 Peter: 16]. Of the countless Saints unknown to us it is
possible that a Saint with your name is among them. It is thus possible
for Christians, who cannot find the Saint with their name, to celebrate on
the Sunday of All Saints, when the Church celebrates all the Saints known
and unknown. Another way to find your Saint is to check whether your name
is a derivative of another name. Yet another way is to find the meaning of
your name and then if possible find what the Greek of Latin equivalent is.
The name Grace for example means 'the free and unmerited favour of God
shown to man;' in Greek the word is Χάρις or
Χάριτι = Charis or Charity. There is a St. Charis
that celebrates on 28th January and two St. Charitys' to choose from. Not
everyone will be successful in finding a Saint with their name. In recent
years there has been a trend by parents to find or make up the most
original name for their child just to be different. Surely it would be
better for the child to have a name of a Saint so that he/she can
celebrate a Nameday! Orthodox children see their Nameday as their own
special day similar to their birthday. It is a day for presents and
special attention from their Parents, Godparents, Grandparent, brothers,
sisters, relatives, friends, teachers and classmates. PARENTS, don't
deprive your children of a second birthday, give them a name of a Saint:
Give them a Nameday.

But how does one celebrate a Nameday?

A
Nameday or Feastday, begins with the celebration of Vespers and the
Divine Liturgy in honour of the Saint whose name we bear. If we cannot
attend Church, because of other obligations, then during a previous
attendance, or by phone, we ask that our name be mentioned during the
special prayers offered for those celebrating the Feast.[See The
Breaking of Bread] and[Order
for the Commemoration of Feasts].

It is
customary to remember our family, friends and acquaintances on their Namedays, and we do this by phoning them and wishing them 'Hronia Polla' =
Many Years [A more western equivalent would be 'Many Happy Returns']. We
also give presents to our loved ones on their Nameday just as we do on
their birthday. The Person celebrating on his/her part will take cakes to
work and offer them to work colleagues. Children usually take chocolates
to school and give to their teachers and classmates. In the evening, their
homes will be open to all who wish to stop by and offer their wishes and
again the recipient will have drinks, savouries and cakes to offer the
guests. Many go the whole way and have extravagant dinner parties to
celebrate their Nameday, but however one celebrates one should not forget
that first and foremost one's Nameday is a Religiuos Festival and should
be celebrated with reverence and decency and not an excuse to have a
rave-up party.

The
Translation of Greek names into English is a problem. I have followed the
traditional Latin spelling, but this does not mean that someone cannot
spell their name with a particular form that has found a more general and
favourable acceptance. A Latin translation of the name Δημήτριος would
be Demetrius, but most people spell the name as
Dimitrios. If in doubt of how Greek names are translated check the table
below. Another problem is a precise translation of Epithets of Titles. The
Greek word 'Οσιος [feminine
Οσία]has no English equivalant. It is a
title given to Saints who were monks [nuns] or hermits. For the English
titles I have used the word Ascetic. Another word unfamiliar to western
ears is the Greek word Ιερομάρτυς, meaning that the
Saint was a Bishop or Priest and also a martyr. Here I have kept the Greek
word in English = Hieromartyr.

Greek Alphabet

Latin Alphabet

Greek Alphabet

Latin Alphabet

Α
orα

A or a

Νorν

N or n

Βor β

Bb or Vv

Ξorξ

X or x

Γorγ

G org

Οorο

O or o

Δorδ

D or d

Πorπ

P or p

Εorε

E or e

Ρorρ

R or r

Ζorζ

Z or z

Σor σ

S or s

Ηorη

E or e

Τorτ

T or t

Θorθ

TH or
th

υ

y

Ιorι

I or i

Φorφ

PH or
ph

Κorκ

C or c

Χorχ

CH or
ch

Λorλ

L or l

Ψorψ

PS or
ps

Μorμ

Mor
m

Ωorω

O or o

Note
that Greek words beginning with a Vowel or a Diphthong always have a
smooth

breathing ᾿or a rough breathing῾. Vowels with a rough breathing are usually translated with a H before the vowel. An exception is made with certain
names beginning with Ἱεwhich are
traditionally spelt withJe